Crossing the Line
by daynaa
Summary: A challenge fiction: CalleighEric. Part three of three is posted. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Challenge Story

A/N: So, I was bored, and Jen was bored, and so she gave me this challenge. The first chapter's elements were: a fire drill, _Chocolate-coated strawberries_, a nightclub and a _white rose_. And of course, Calleigh/Eric.

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

--&

"Calleigh!" She heard someone call her from behind. Spinning around, she ran right into Eric Delko, who had, judging by his rapid breathing, been running down the hall to catch up with her.

"Eric, what's up?" She asked, backing away slowly, and trying to keep her own breathing under control now.

"I was wondering if you had those ballistics results yet?" He smiled charmingly, as if that was going to sway her answer.

"Actually, I do. I finished them before I had to go sit in on the interrogation, so they're still in my lab." She told him as she began to walk towards said lab, Eric following close behind.

"Did he do it?" Eric asked, hoping they had the right suspect behind held.

"I didn't get a chance to look at the results very thoroughly so I don't want to say for certain until we check them out." Calleigh told him. At that moment Calleigh's cell rang.

"Duquesne." She answered.

"Calleigh? It's Ryan." She heard Ryan tell her.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?" She asked, hoping it was news on the case.

"News. Bad news." He informed her, and she felt all of her hope of solving the case that evening deflate.

"Go on," She encouraged.

"There's been another killing." The worst. "I just have to call Delko and have him meet us at the scene…"

"He's with me." Calleigh told him. "We were about to go over the ballistics results, but we'll be right there." Ryan told her the address, which she scribbled down and snapped her phone shut.

"Ryan?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. There's another killing. Same MO." Calleigh sighed.

"A serial?" Eric groaned.

"Looks that way. We'd better get over there now." She suggested.

"You driving?" He asked.

"Sure." She nodded as they headed off towards the car garage.

--&

"Hey guys," Frank Tripp greeted them grimly, as always, as they arrived at the scene.

"Hey Frank." Calleigh sort of smiled, though it was hard, when she knew what was lying inside the house waiting for them.

"Tripp." Eric greeted, more formally than Calleigh had. "Is Ryan inside?"

"No, he's not here yet." Frank shrugged.

"He must have stopped for coffee." Calleigh explained logically. "Or maybe Horatio needed him for something at the lab, who knows. We'd better get started though, if we have any hope of getting out of here in decent time."

"Yeah." Eric agreed as they followed Frank inside.

"Female vic, found in the bedroom." Frank explained.

"Same as the other case." Eric pointed out.

"Yeah. It's identical." Frank sighed, "Every detail, pretty much. Right this way." He led them through the narrow hallways of the house until they reached the bedroom.

"Identical indeed." Calleigh muttered under her breath as they entered the room, Eric following directly behind her.

"The whole house has been cleared?" He checked with Frank, who nodded affirmatively.

"Okay. Let's get to work then." Calleigh picked up the camera, which had been previously draped around her neck and started to snap photos of the female lying face down on the bed.

"There are some differences." Eric pointed out, as he too began to snap photos of different objects around the room.

"Yeah. Well, the last vic was a brunette, this one has red hair." Calleigh noted.

"Blonde could be next?" Eric suggested, shivers running up and down his spine at the mental image of a blonde, specifically Calleigh, lying on the bed in place of the current victim.

"There won't be a next." Calleigh was determined to keep a positive outlook on the case.

"Hopefully." Eric added, not wanting to get overconfident yet. He collected a few fibers from around the room, but like their case earlier that day, there wasn't much evidence.

"Another one?" Alexx asked, as she entered the room. Calleigh and Eric both shot her grim looks. "You guys better get this guy soon."

"We're trying our best, Alexx." Eric shrugged, as he continued to collect fibers and different pieces of evidence.

"I know, sugar." Alexx smiled sympathetically as she opened her kit and began her examination of the body. "You have all the pictures you need Calleigh?"

"All done." Calleigh nodded, as she began moving around the opposite side of the room to Eric.

"Alright." Alexx nodded, carefully turning the body over after noting the rigor setting. "You two better look at this." Woven carefully into her beautiful red hair was a single white rose.

"The same as the vic this morning." Eric sighed. "So it's definitely the same killer."

"Yeah." Calleigh sighed.

"I'll have to do a SART exam," Alexx began, "But I'm guessing we all know what I'll find. Poor baby."

"Yeah. We've got to get this guy before he can kill anyone else." Calleigh sighed, defeatedly, but determinedly.

"We will Cal. Don't worry." Eric let his hand rest slightly on her arm, for as long as he could get away with without crossing a line, and then he retracted it.

"Let's get back to work." Calleigh turned away. She could still feel the skin burning from where he had touched her on the arm. She wished he would take the first step over the line they had drawn somewhere along the line, because for some reason, she didn't want to be the one to make the first move this time. Those relationships never seemed to work out. She had to be sure he wanted this as much as she did.

"Cal, look at this," Eric called. He had long since moved out to the kitchen of the house. She was presently processing the living room. At his request, she made her way into the kitchen, which, like the rest of the house, was immaculate.

"What did you find in here?" She asked, quickly surveying her surroundings and shooting a hello smile to the patrol cop standing by the doorway who quickly returned it. The moment was not lost on Eric who felt a wave of jealousy course through him, though he knew that the smile, though it probably meant everything to the young patrol cop, meant nothing to Calleigh. That was just the way she was. Naturally sweet, and flirtatious.

"Well the kitchen looks nearly perfect, right?" Eric asked.

"Yeah. I only wish my kitchen looked like this." Calleigh laughed.

"But look over here. From across the room I thought it was blood, but it's chocolate, and there is more of it."

"Yeah. It looks like a trail, almost." Calleigh noted. "But it ends abruptly here."

"Yeah. I photographed it all, then went to the refrigerator to see if there was anything chocolate that might be dripping in there, and I noticed this." Eric pulled open the fridge door and motioned to the soul occupant.

"A plate of chocolate covered strawberries." Calleigh identified the object. "Well, out in the dining room I found slightly burned candles, and I bet if we look in the dishwasher we'll find some fancy dishes."

"From a romantic evening for two." Eric followed her train of thought. "Makes sense. We found a similar set up at the first vic's house."

"Was there strawberries there?" Calleigh wondered. She couldn't quite remember, and she had been the one to process that kitchen.

"I'm not sure." Eric thought back too. "But we can get someone back at the lab to check the scene photos?"

"Let me call Horatio." Calleigh snapped open her phone and dialed their boss' number.

"Horatio," He answered, but if Calleigh didn't know whom she had called, she wouldn't have been able to hear his voice clearly enough to make out what it was.

"Horatio! What is that noise?" She asked, wincing at the volume of it.

"It's nothing." Horatio told her. "Fire drill, that's all."

"Fire drill?" Calleigh asked, furrowing her brow. "Horatio, when do we ever have fire drills?"

"I know. I thought of that too." He told her. "Which is why I am still in the building and not outside, hence the loud alarm."

"Right. Is Ryan with you?" Calleigh asked, "He told us to meet him at the scene, but he never showed up."

"He called. Family emergency, or something of the sort. I was about to follow up to see how he was doing, when well, this happened." Horatio explained.

"Alright. Well if you find him, let him know we're looking for him. And can you call me back when all of the madness over there has calmed down?" She requested.

"Sure thing." Horatio nodded, looking around the abandoned crime lab warily.

"Thanks handsome." Calleigh smiled before shutting her phone. "Ryan's not at the lab either, and they're having a fire drill."

"Since when does the lab have a fire drills?" Eric asked.

"That's what I thought. Horatio's checking it out though. I hope nothing's wrong." Calleigh shrugged.

"Me too." Eric nodded. "So if we've collected all the evidence, I guess we head back to the lab?"

"Let's go. I guess we better tell Frank he can release the scene." Calleigh said.

"Yeah. You do that, and I'll start loading the evidence into the hummer." Eric told her. Calleigh nodded and headed off to find Tripp.

"Frank?" She called, heading back to the living room.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"We're ready to head out. You can release the scene." Calleigh told him.

"Perfect timing. I'm heading out to a stabbing at a night club now." He sighed, and Calleigh smiled sympathetically.

"Have fun." She called, as she headed towards the front door to help Eric load everything into the Hummer. Her cell phone rang, and she picked it up instantly.

"Duquesne?" She answered. A gunshot was all she heard.

--&

A/N: OoO! Haha. Well, that was quite the chapter. It is my bed time now. I am amazed at how tired I get these days at such early hours. I suppose it's good. So I shall post this, and go to bed. Please review! The next two chapters will be up soon! Since I do have a deadline!!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay. I apologize. I am late. I was supposed to have this story DONE last night, but then my computer broke, and I was at the theatre, and I was sick this morning, anyways, I am doing NOTHING all thanksgiving weekend. Well that's a lie. I have to go to a dinner, and this drama thing tomorrow morning, and church, but other than that, NOTHING. So I shall be updating often, on this three-day weekend. Here we go. This chapter's elements were: car accident (not serious), black leather, blue eye shadow and ballroom dancing. And I wrote it in history class hah. Yes. History class is good for that.

--&

"Eric!" She called, running quickly to where he was shutting the truck.

"Yeah?" He turned around.

"Lab. Now." She demanded, rushing to get into the car. He hurriedly followed her, and started the engine. "Horatio just called, I answered and there was a gunshot." She explained.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked, and upon seeing the look on her face, said, "Right."

"Of course I'm sure." She rolled her eyes. "Now drive." And he did. Quickly they figured the shortest route through the city, the siren in the hummer blaring. They were, after all, chasing a murder. Or maybe a case of self-defence; or possibly an accident?

"So Horatio called you and all that you heard was a gun shot?" Eric asked, for confirmation, and also to break the tense silence.

"Yes… but Eric! Look out!" He swerved to avoid the car but it was no use. The hummer was sent spinning and swerving across the road. Luckily it managed to not turn all the way over when it stopped.

"Calleigh!" Eric shouted, after he regained his composure, and his breath. Uncaring of the fact that he might have had serious injuries himself, he got out of the car and ran around it to open Calleigh's door. "Are you okay? Talk to me!" He pleaded, taking her hand in his. After a moment of intense silence, she opened her eyes and mumbled incoherently. "Are you okay?" He repeated, quieter this time.

"I'm fine." She told him, catching her breath and quickly regaining control of her thoughts as she began to pull herself upwards. Eric put a hand on her arm gently to prevent her from doing so. "Eric! Let me up!" She nearly hissed at him.

"You might be hurt. You need to get checked out." He told her.

"You got out. You didn't have to wait around to get checked out. I don't either. I'm not glass Eric." She told him angrily.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He apologized, realizing although he was acting out of love and following his protective instinct, he wasn't being fair to Calleigh, who was all about being equal. "But since I hear sirens approaching, I assume someone from the gathering up there," He gestured to the group of people gathering a bit away on the edge of the road who were staring intently and gossiping already about the hummer which was now lying on it's side. "So let me help you out of the vehicle." She accepted the strong hand he offered and he helped hoist her out of the hummer. Sure enough, as soon as she was standing on her own, two ambulances and a few police cars pulled up at the edge of the road.

"Wonderful." She muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry. I'm just…" Calleigh trailed off.

"Well we were just in a car accident." Eric shrugged.

"It wasn't an accident." She told him. "The car deliberately smacked into the back of us. Well, I suppose it was partly your fault, because you were looking at me, and not the road… but that wouldn't have prevented it since the car came from behind." Before Eric had time to apologize or say anything, an officer approached.

"Ma'am, sir, are you all right?" He asked.

"CSI's Delko and Duquesne." Eric informed the officer.

"Oh. Okay. Well, is it okay if the paramedics check you guys out?" He asked, but more or less stated.

"We're fine." Calleigh argued. She didn't want to waste time talking to this officer when Horatio could be in trouble.

"It'll only take a few minutes." The officer assured them.

"Like I've never told someone that before." Calleigh shot him a look that made him back up slightly.

"We have a possible murder scene to secure." Eric continued arguing with the officer as Calleigh found her phone, which despite having been scratched up quite a bit, miraculously still worked. Dialling Horatio's number, she prayed he'd pick up.

"Horatio," He answered, coolly as ever.

"Horatio, what's going on? You call me, and all I hear is a gunshot, and you don't call back? What was that about?" She demanded.

"Calleigh, my phone was taken during the fire drill. I can't find it anywhere." He told her.

"But you didn't find anything suspicious? And why didn't you have your phone on you?" She asked.

"I was test firing in the range. I had a possible lead on a case, and well, you were out, so I was test firing my own guns. I, like you, always take my phone off when I'm in the range." He explained.

"Oh. And you haven't located it yet?" Calleigh asked.

"Tyler's working on it." Horatio answered.

"Is Ryan with you? I still haven't talked to him." Calleigh asked another question, and Horatio was beginning to worry.

"Have you called him?"

"No." Calleigh mentally beat herself up for asking such a stupid question.

"Calleigh, what's wrong?" Horatio asked.

"Nothing… Eric and I just got in a little accident…" She trailed off, or rather, was cut off.

"An accident? As in car accident? Where?" Horatio was already on his way out of the lab.

"Horatio…" Calleigh started.

"Where are you?" Horatio repeated. "I'll call Eric, and he'll tell me, so you might as well." Calleigh gave him the location reluctantly. Every time she had an argument like this with Horatio, she felt like she was arguing with her father. "I'll be there soon." Calleigh though about warning him that it wasn't safe. She and Eric were run off the road, and Ryan seemed to be unreachable at the moment. She was beginning to worry about him. It seemed as if someone was out to get them that day. Whether it was simply karma, or a group of people… she wasn't quite sure though the former did seem much more appealing.

"Cal, we've got to get checked by the paramedics." Eric told her, putting a hand on her arm, and guiding her to where the ambulances were waiting.

"Fine." She sighed, resolving to let the paramedics look at her now that she knew that Horatio was fine and realized that she wouldn't be able to anything at all until she got checked out.

"Hello ma'am, if you could just sit right here…" The paramedic continued to give her instructions that she blankly followed.

"Calleigh," She heard from behind her. Ignoring the paramedic's protests, she got up and turned around, recognizing Horatio's voice.

"Horatio." She greeted him, not bothering to inquire as to how he got there so quickly.

"We're fine." She assured him, glancing over at Eric who was arguing with a paramedic where the other ambulance was parked. "It's Ryan I'm worried about."

"There's no answer on his cell." Horatio informed her grimly. But Horatio was always grim, she supposed. But she was worried about Ryan nonetheless. He was sort of like her little brother, and she was the one who had taught him much of what he knew at CSI. She felt responsible for him still, in a way even though he, along with the rest of the males on their CSI team felt the dire need to protect her wherever and whenever. "You two are lucky. From the looks of the hummer, I'd assume you wouldn't be walking around quite yet." Horatio commented.

"It's a good thing we were wearing our seatbelts." Calleigh joked meekly. "I'm sorry about the hummer."

"No worries. It's you and Eric I'm worried about. Hummers are replaceable." Horatio informed her. "I'm sure someone will be around to see to the insurance on the vehicle. We'll have a new one before you even know it. Right now you should get checked out."

"I was checked out all ready. Right now, I'm worrying about Ryan." Calleigh told him. She began walking towards where Eric was getting quickly frustrated with the paramedic who was trying to fuss over a cut on his hand.

"It's just a little cut." She heard him protest. Quickly reaching the gurney where he was perched, she smiled sympathetically at the paramedic who looked like she was at her wits end with Eric.

"Here," Calleigh offered, taking the gauze and anti-bacterial cream the woman was trying to get Eric to stay still long enough to apply. "Let me try." Turning to Eric, she rolled her eyes. "You're such a baby. I got checked out already." Eric looked over to the other ambulance where the obviously perturbed paramedic was glaring at Calleigh.

"Sure you did." He smirked.

"I did!" She insisted. "Besides, I didn't have any cuts."

"Lucky." Eric stuck his tongue out at her.

"Baby." She cooed, making fun of him. He just smiled at her. "See? All done." He glanced down at his hand and realized that while they were bantering back and forth, she had applied the cream and gauze to his hand.

"Thanks." He sort of smiled at her. "When did Horatio get here?"

"As soon as I called him. I wanted to make sure nothing was up, you know, with the gunshot and all, and his phone got stolen. As did Ryan apparently." She joked, "He's seemed to have disappeared."

"Let's hope he didn't, and is just… cleaning something… somewhere." Eric couldn't think of a legitimate reason why their workaholic colleague would suddenly go missing from work, when he was actually supposed to be working.

"As likely as it is that Ryan is cleaning something… not on work time, unless he was at the lab." Calleigh reasoned.

"Yeah." Eric sighed. "Well we'll keep calling him."

"That might not be possible." Horatio approached the pair. "Glad to see you're okay Eric." He added.

"Thanks H." Eric nodded. "Now what were you saying about Ryan?"

"Valera just found his phone in the locker room on the floor." Horatio told them.

"Ryan would never leave anything of his on the floor." Eric tried to make fun of his friend, but it was true and making the situation seem worse and worse.

"Well, we'd better get back to CSI and start doing… something." Calleigh suggested.

"Yeah." Horatio and Eric both nodded in agreement, and headed to Horatio's hummer since theirs well, was just in an accident. The ride back to the lab was silent, and rather tense. They had all had rough days, with the faux fire drill, the car accident, and now Ryan's mysterious absence. Everyone just wanted the day to end, though they sense that would not be happening any time soon. Arriving back at the lab, everything appeared to be running as normal as ever with the exception of Valera, who knew that something was off after finding Ryan's phone.

"Horatio," They heard a panicked voice from behind them. Turning around, they noticed Gloria the receptionist, pointing to a package, which lay untouched on the counter. "It came a few minutes ago. A man, a very suspicious looking man, came in, set this down, and said it was 'regarding Ryan Wolfe', as it reads on the envelope." All three CSIs quickly headed over to the desk. Horatio quickly got gloves from the layout room, and they took the envelope with them.

We have CSI Ryan Wolfe. Bring 10 000 dollars to Club Petal by 10:00 tonight. No one that isn't in the room now knows about this. Or he dies. Bring the money to the bar and there will be a man wearing black jeans and a yellow shirt. You give him the money, and Wolfe will appear.

"Oh gawd." Calleigh groaned. "Firstly, how are we going to come up with ten grand by tonight, and how are we going to pull off a drop off without the police knowing?"

"Eric, you called Detective Tripp already, right?" Horatio asked, and Eric nodded confirmation.

"He's here now." Horatio stated. And they knew why. If Tripp was already with them, at least someone in the police department could be included on their little mission to save Ryan. "And I've got a plan."

"You have a plan?" Calleigh asked dubiously.

"I do." Horatio nodded. Naturally, Frank walked into the room at that moment and Horatio began to explain how the rest of the night would unfold.

An hour later, the plan was in motion. Soon after the discussion in the layout room everyone headed back to their own places to prepare. The plan was that Eric and Calleigh were going to dress up like normal club goers, and pretend they were not affiliated with the crime lab, at that point and time anyhow. To everyone but the four knowledgeable on the current case, Calleigh and Eric were not in the lab at the time that Horatio and Frank found the envelope. Horatio and Frank, on the other hand, were dressing as low key as possible; as if they were trying to fool people into thinking they weren't cops when it was blatantly obvious that they did not fit into the clubbing scene. They were too old, and not dressed in the typical clubbing manner of Club Petal. Now, since they had all had adequate time to prepare, Eric was on his way to Calleigh's condominium building to pick her up. He drove quickly towards Calleigh's because per normal, he was late. Luckily, he wasn't driving a vehicle that screamed: Miami Dade PD, and he had only come from his house, so he was not run off the road this time. Pulling up safely in front of Calleigh's building, he rang himself in and was knocking on her door in no time.

"Hey." Calleigh pulled the door open, then briskly walked back to her room where she was not quite finished getting ready. She had only had an hour, and including a shower, that didn't leave her much time to put together an outfit with hair and makeup and all the other necessities. Men, she had come to realize, did not appreciate or understand the art of appearance preparation which was probably why there were so few good looking ones around these days.

"Hey." Eric called back. He hadn't seen what she was wearing, though the anticipation was high. Was his mind playing tricks on him, or had he seen a glimpse of black leather somewhere on that outfit?

"I'll be ready within five to ten minutes." She informed him. He settled in on the couch, and surveyed her condo. Though they were friends, and dropped by to each other's apartments occasionally, it seemed every time he was here she had changed something around. He loved her condo, probably because it just screamed of her. Looking around, he noticed many things that made him chuckle simply because they were so Calleigh. Not only was he anticipating her outfit, but also the night in general. He couldn't believe how relaxed Horatio was about the whole situation. A CSIs life was in jeopardy, and so he sent Calleigh and Eric to play couple at a dance club? Not a move Eric would have seen coming from his boss, but the man was his boss, hence the reason he was following these crazy instructions. Horatio always knew what he was doing. Hopefully that didn't change now. Calleigh, while Eric was leisurely sitting in her living room, was busy putting final touches on herself for the night. She would argue that she needed to look good, since they were supposed to be 'normal club goers' and what kind of woman went to a club looking not her best? She'd never heard of it. But besides that fact, she realized that this was a perfect chance to impress Eric. Images and premonitions of the night to come filled her head. Would they dance? And more importantly, would Ryan be all right? That's what worried her most. But Horatio hadn't let them down yet. She had confidence that he wouldn't start now. She was almost ready to go when she decided to change her barley noticeable makeup to something darker; something bolder, for the night. Quickly pulling her makeup bag, she grabbed black eyeliner, mascara, blue eye shadow and a darker shade of lipstick than she had on already. After applying each item with much care, and giving her hair, which was partly pinned up but mostly hanging straight down her back a once over, she decided she was ready for the night. "Okay. I'm ready to go."

"Great." Eric got off the couch where he had seated himself a few minutes previously to make himself more comfortable while getting lost in thought, and moved to the door, the anticipation higher than ever. Calleigh kept the excitement off her face as she moved from her bedroom, collecting her purse, which she had packed as soon as she got home, and heading for the door. It was even harder to keep a straight face when she saw the look on Eric's upon seeing her. Deciding that she was going to be bolder than usual that evening, she spun around.

"What do you think?" She smirked. Eric was at a loss for words. He had indeed been correct in his guess that part of her outfit had included black leather. More than part of it really; the whole top half. At least that's what it looked like to him. How anyone even managed to get any sort of fabric etched that tightly over curves that perfect was a mystery to him. All he knew was that it look good. Very good. And the tight dark jeans she had added to the outfit made him wonder why she was a scientist and not a model. Her hair and makeup only added the final touch on a perfect outfit. A perfect girl. That's when he realized she was still waiting for an answer.

"Well, uh…" He mumbled, still at a loss for words. "It's not something you would wear… ballroom dancing." Ballroom dancing? He chided himself. How much more stupid could he get?

"It's a good thing we're not going ballroom dancing then, isn't it?" Calleigh giggled, uncharacteristically.

"You look wonderful." He finally regained composure.

"Thank you." She smiled. "You do too." She answered honestly. His own jeans were rather well fitting, as was his button up t-shirt that was slightly undone revealing his dark, cream coloured chest below. In fact, neither of them could wait to get to the club so they could be closer to one another, so it was a mystery as to why they were still standing, and nearly gawking at each other.

"Should we go?" Eric suggested.

"We should go." Calleigh nodded, "Because Horatio's waiting… and Ryan needs us."

"Yeah." Eric nodded, opening the door. It was going to be a long night.

--&

A/N: OBVIOUSLY a little OOC haha. They wouldn't be spending all that time when Ryan was missing, but that's okay. It's all for the sake of my story, right? And this is what happens when I am only allowed three chapters. You get triple times the length in one chapter, because I can't write things compactly. It's not a skill I have hah. Review, please? Cute smiley face!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

A/N: The elements for this chapter were: _Ballroom dancing competition, an assassin_, _a kiss_, _a white dress_, and Calleigh and Eric sleep together (not in a sexual way...just sleeping). This is the last chapter. And I enjoyed writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading it. And I apologize; again, for the amount of time I went over my limit.

--&

Upon arriving at the club, Eric and Calleigh went hurriedly inside, knowing they were already late and Horatio and Frank would be anxiously waiting for them. They did, as expected, fit right into the crowd of dancing, drinking adults that filled the club. They both headed to the bar, as that was where the drop was supposed to take place. No man in black jeans and a yellow t-shirt yet, Calleigh noted.

"Hey, what can I get you?" A bored looking bartender asked.

"Two beers," Calleigh answered quickly. Eric nodded in agreement. The bartender handed them their beers and moved to weight on the next customer. They sat silently at first, drinking them slowly since they were technically still working they didn't want to get too drunk. They wouldn't be any use to Horatio, Ryan or anyone then. But they could both hold one beer easily, especially if they drank it slowly. Calleigh began looking around again. She still didn't see the man they were looking for, but they did see Horatio at the opposite end of the bar trying to fit in to the surrounding scenery. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of yellow approaching the bar. Eric was turned the other way, so she knew he wouldn't have been able to see it. "Let's go dancing." She suggested, a bright smile on her face. He nodded and offered her his hand as they headed towards the dance floor.

"Did you see something?" Eric wondered.

"Yeah. Flash of yellow heading toward the bar. In case it was him, I decided it would be best if we got out of there for the time being, you know, to minimize our chance of looking suspicious." She explained.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Good thinking. Getting out of there before he noticed you saw him." Calleigh nodded. The song changed from the slower paced one that had been ending at the time that they made their way to the dance floor to a song with a pounding bass and face paced techno beat. They began to move to the beat of the music, as everyone around them did. Eric marveled at the fact that dancing with her like this felt completely natural. If he had been with anyone else from the lab, it would have been awkward, for sure, and uncomfortable. Actually, if it had been anyone else from the lab, he would have made up an excuse like it would look more natural if they danced with other people. It wouldn't make much of a difference. Dancing at a club was dancing at a club.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked, as they continued to move to the beat.

"That it's a good thing this isn't a ballroom dancing competition." He told her with a smirk, making fun of his earlier comment.

"Good thing." Calleigh laughed, loving how at ease they were with each other. Horatio, she noticed, as she was the one facing the bar now out of the pair was watching the man in the yellow shirt like a hawk. "Horatio has his eye on yellow shirt man."

"That's good." Eric nodded. "What is yellow shirt man doing?"

"Other than looking like a deranged assassin?" Calleigh snorted. "Not much. He keeps glancing around nervously. He stares at Horatio for a while sometimes."

"Tripp?" Eric asked.

"I don't see him yet." Calleigh answered.

"That's because I do." Eric told her. "He's over on the other side of the dance floor."

"He's not dancing is he?" Calleigh cringed.

"No." Eric laughed. "He's crowd watching."

"Good." Calleigh sighed. "Yellow shirt man has been staring at Horatio for the last two or three minutes."

"Well, I guess he's figured out Horatio is a cop." Eric shrugged.

"He probably knew all along. He had to take Ryan, he probably saw Horatio around the lab when he was there. He must have been in the lab during the fire drill, to steal Horatio's phone." Calleigh reasoned.

"You're right." Eric nodded, "It's a good thing we weren't there then."

"Yeah." Calleigh nodded. "What time is it?"

"Nine thirty." Eric told her, glancing at his watch. "It's kind of funny isn't it, how easily we can talk, watch suspects, dance… all at the same time."

"It is." Calleigh agreed.

"With anyone else, it'd be awkward." Eric continued, "You know, from the lab."

"Well considering most everyone else from the lab is male…" Calleigh smirked.

"No but Valera, or Laura…" He named two lab techs, "It just wouldn't be this easy."

"Yeah." She nodded, "I agree, and I have most of the lab to choose from, since you know, they're mostly all guys." Eric just laughed.

"You know, I'd kiss you right now if I could." He told her.

"Why can't you?" She wondered, temporarily forgetting their surroundings and the reason they were there.

"Horatio… Tripp… the possible kidnapper who looks like an amateur assassin sitting at the bar… Ryan," He began to name different reasons, all involving work.

"Yeah." She nodded, "But it's the thought that counts."

"And later." He added.

"Later." She echoed. "And Horatio is on the move."

"Damn. But it's only nine thirty!" Eric noted.

"He must have something up his sleeve." Calleigh shrugged, continuing to watch intently. "He's sitting right beside yellow shirt man now."

"Tripp is headed their way." Eric informed her.

"Alright. It looks like they've moved the plan back a half hour." Calleigh commented.

"Tripp has the briefcase." Eric told her. The long techno song ended and again, the DJ put on a slow song, which they moved closer to dance to. They switched the way they were standing so they could both see all three of the people they were intently watching without having to commentate. Horatio was talking to yellow shirt man now as Tripp reached them with the briefcase, which he put on the bar. Yellow shirt man looked at it intently before reaching for it. Horatio put a hand on his arm roughly to stop him from doing so. They were talking angrily and animatedly now, and Eric and Calleigh could only wish they were hearing what was going on. Suddenly, out of nowhere, another yellow shirt man appeared with a familiar man in tow.

"Ryan." Calleigh gasped. He looked perfectly fine, at ease even, as he was dragged towards the bar. Calleigh and Eric suddenly made their way to the bar, as they knew they were supposed to do. Moving behind the second yellow shirted man they followed him from a few feet behind until they reached the bar. Calleigh caught Horatio's eye and he made a small nod of his head signaling himself and Tripp to grab the first man who was sitting right beside him, and as the other turned to leave, Eric and Calleigh grabbed him and cuffed him.

"It only takes four." Calleigh smirked at the struggling man. Horatio's plan had indeed worked well. Now that the situation was under control, police officers that had been waiting at the back entrance to the club filed in and took the two handcuffed felons out with them to be transported down to the station.

"You okay man?" Eric was standing beside Ryan.

"I'm…" Ryan began before Horatio cut him off.

"Did you know beforehand?" He asked, receiving confused looks from Calleigh, Eric and Frank, and a surprised look from Ryan.

"No!" He said right away. "H, I would never have gone along with it if I had known…"

"What?" Calleigh was starting to catch on, but was still blatantly confused.

"It was a test." Ryan explained. "At first, I thought I had really been kidnapped. I had gotten caught up with some evidence in the lab. I didn't even realize the time until the fire drill. On my way out, I was grabbed from behind and dragged to a car. It wasn't until we got to our destination that I realized what had actually happened, or well, it was explained to me. I still don't know all the details though. It was actually a lot like what I imagine being kidnapped would feel like. They took away all means of communication, in case I was to call someone and tell them I was all right. I was watched at all times, I just wasn't harmed or threatened at all." Ryan shrugged. "The only threat that was posed was really me hurting myself. The officer who was watching me was planning her wedding, and decided that I could help her. I never want to look at a white dress again. Ever."

"Well, we'll be figuring out exactly what happened and why back at the lab." Horatio said firmly, obviously not pleased with what had happened that day. "It was unnecessary and cost us a day of work. Someone has a lot of explaining to do."

"Yeah." Eric nodded. "When did you figure it out H?"

"The fire drill." Horatio answered.

"But you didn't tell us?" Calleigh asked.

"Well, I figured they might have a ligament reason for doing it. We should humor them." Horatio explained. "But right now, though it was an unnecessary day, it was a tiring and stressing one. I've got people to talk to. You four can go home. You'll find out what happened tomorrow, when I do."

"Okay. See you tomorrow Horatio." Calleigh nodded, not in a mood to argue. Ryan and Eric mumbled similar phrases as they followed Calleigh outside.

"You need a ride home?" Eric asked Ryan. "I'm already driving Calleigh, since I picked her up."

"Have you been drinking?" Ryan asked dubiously.

"I had like, a quarter of a beer Wolfe." Eric rolled his eyes. "Get in the car." They drove Ryan home, hearing weird stories of the day from his perspective on the way. Then, it was over to Calleigh's.

"That was a …" Calleigh began.

"Weird day." Eric finished. "I didn't ever think that was how it turned out. I'm glad though."

"Me too." Calleigh nodded. He pulled up at her house. "Do you want to come up for a coffee or something?" She asked.

"Sure." Eric nodded, parking the car. They headed into the building and to then to Calleigh's place. As soon as she got in, she went to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, and then headed back to the living room where Eric was sitting.

"You know," He began, "That outfit does look _very _good on you."

"Thank you Eric." She smiled, blushing ever so slightly. "Is this a beginning of a conversation similar to the one we had at the club?"

"Maybe," He smiled.

"Because I could save us a lot of time." She walked over to him and promptly gave him a kiss right on the lips. It was meant to be a quick thing, but quickly turned into something more. When they finally pulled away, breathless, they both had smiles on their faces.

"I'm tired." Calleigh announced. Coffee forgotten, she led him to her room where they both laid down on the bed completely content to just stay in each other's presence, and stayed that way until not a conscious mind was left in the room. Falling asleep with Eric beside her, Calleigh decided, was as natural as anything else, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever want to sleep any other way again.

--&

THE END.

Very late, but not too late. I hope you all enjoyed it, especially Jen! Very ooc, and it sort of reminded me of the first episode of Crossing Jordan that Devan was in, because a similar kidnapping thing went on there. Or Sara with the counterfeit bills and the testing sort of thing. But anyways, please review! Happy Thanksgiving hahah.


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